Improvement in pencil-sharpeners



dini-ind ,gitarre @anni dtllylte.

ELIAS I. NEEDHAM,

or. N-ELW YoRK, Y.

- Letters Patent No. 112,951, dated March 21, 1871.

l IMPROVEMENT IN PENCIL-'SHARPENER The Schedule referred to h1 these Letters Patent and maldng past of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

B e it known that I, ELI-As P. NEEDHAM, of vthe.

city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Pencil-Sharpener; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming apart of this specication.

'lhis invention is Aprincipally designed to be used for those pencils whose leads are removable, but it is also applicable to other lead as well as slate-pencils. It consists of two plates, so connected, or of a single plate so bent, as to formtwo leaves, that such platesv or leaves present themselves at an angle to each other corresponding to the' profile ofthe point to be produced with opposed cutting or abrading-surfaces of interposed leaves of sand-paper, or other cutting or abrad-4 The pencil-Sharpener represented in the drawingl consists of a single rectangular metal plate, bent along its middle to form two connecting leaves, A 13,-something like .the covers and back of' a book, the connecting or bent portion being made 'to form a.v spring bow, a, whose junction bwith the leaves forms two ridges, e @,which bite and hold a number of interposed leaves, d d, of sand or emery-paper.

The said leaves A B are so inclined to each other that their ends forma flaring opening for the insertion of the pencil or lead to be sharpened,ras represented at G in lig. 2.

- The leaves .A B are roughened on their inner side with a le cut or coated with sand, emery, or other Aabrading material.

The sheets'of interposed 'sand or emery-paper d d are of a'size and shape to lit within the leaves A B and bow a. They are secured in place by the ridges e c on the plate, as before described, and when worn out can be withdrawn by holding the plates open with the hand, and fresh. ones can be inserted in their place. Y

To sharpen the lead or pencil, it -is simplyinserted between the sheets of sand or emery-paper, and turned or otherwise moved and rubbed till worn Aaway to al point, the elasticity of the plates and the yieldingI character ofthe paper preventing the breakage to which the lead. would be liable iftreated similarly between rigid surfaces'. l

It is obvious that instead of two leaves, A B, made of a single plate', being used, the leaves may be composed of separate plates united by rivets, screws, or other means, and lthat the rivets used, to hold them.

may serve as the means of securing the paper'between them. It is desirable, however constructed, thatthe plates or leaves shall be so formed or connected tlLat the' pressure produced on the pencil between them shall be of an elastic or yielding character.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of' two elastically-connected inclined 'plates or leaves', A. B, and the interposed. sheet:J

or leaves of sand-paper or other similar cuttingor abradin g material, substantially as herein described.

E. P. NEEDHAM.'

Witnesses HENRY .l. BROWN, FRED. HAYNBS. 

